CENTRESTAGE COMMUNITIES LTD For more information on how you can become involved, please email

enquiries@centrestagecommunities.org.uk

CENTRESTAGE COMMUNITIES LTD,

A company registered in Scotland SC382945

A Scottish Charity - SC039611

www.centrestagecommunities.org.uk

Centrestage was opened in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, in 2006 without public or grant

funding and operates with the ethos that anyone, regardless of age, background or

experience, can gain life changing social benefits through participation in the arts.

Centrestage Communities delivers assets and strengths focussed activities to individuals

and communities, many living with multiple deprivations, using the arts and enterprise

as the main tools for raising aspiration, achievement, inclusion and community

capacity. All of our projects aim to build on the knowledge and skills of all participants

whilst developing their individual and collective strengths

Centrestage has come to provide a direct link between many marginalised groups,

helping individuals within these groups feel more connected to the wider geographical,

cultural and social community. Working across sectors, Centrestage aims to help

participants improve their lives by providing the tools to make this possible. All projects

are focused on building a strong sense of community both within our organisation and in

the town itself.

Every donation, however small, will make a significant and meaningful difference to our

project delivery. We are grateful to everyone who has been part of the Centrestage

Communities journey so far. Thank you.

Unite

“Unite” encompasses our Reach Out, Rising Stars and Aspire groups and enables

children, young people and adults living with a wide range of additional support

needs and learning disabilities to participate fully within the Centrestage community,

allowing new opportunities in performing and creative arts and volunteering,

reducing isolation and discrimination and promoting true inclusion within the broader

community. Reach Out is a drop in class tailored for adults with a wide range of

support needs. This informal, sociable and high energy class is full of music, creative

movement and laughter. Our Rising Stars group is for children aged 6-14 years. Here,

the high ratio of leaders to children allows the participants to express themselves

safely & creatively in a supportive and fun environment.

Aspire2Dance, Aspire Act, Aspire2Perform and Aspire2Create are classes for those

aged 14yrs to adult who, through the dedicated support of the Centrestage leaders

become incredibly confident participants in regular performances allowing them to

attain improved physical fitness alongside greater skills of communication, team

work, self control and motivation.

As well as informal showcases throughout the year, participants in Rising Stars and

Aspire also devise and perform in the annual Centrestage pantomime and in

Summer 2015 will have the opportunity to be part of the summer school production of

“Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat”

Unite workshops are also delivered in local special schools.

Ignite/Connect

The Ignite (Age 5- 13yrs) and Connect (age 13- 21yrs) projects are provided for

children and young people who for social, financial or geographic reasons would be

unable to participate in Centrestage activities. Some may find difficulty engaging with

the mainstream school system or may already be excluded. Through participation in

enterprise, creative and performing arts based activities and performances., the

young people learn the tools that help shape their own destiny, teaching them to take

responsibility for their own actions and choices and to never assume that a negative

destination is inevitable. Through allowing them to develop their own self-belief and

instilling conviction that they are empowered to make positive decisions about their

life, regardless of their background, we aim to create new opportunities, broaden

horizons and empower children and young people to believe that, through their own

actions and efforts, they can make positive contributions to their families and

communities.

All Connect and Ignite activities focus on the assets within the participants, foster

productive and constructive use of leisure time, actively motivate participants to

remain in- or re-engage in- education, and, where appropriate, serve as a unique

strategy to prevent alcohol, drug use and crime amongst high risk groups living within

particularly hazardous social environments, motivating them to explore new strengths,

to engage with each other and the wider community.

These activities are delivered in evenings and weekends in venues throughout

Ayrshire and are also delivered within local Primary and Secondary schools.

Musical Generations demonstrates that we are never too young or too old to learn from

each other. Every Monday afternoon we welcome elderly members of our community,

from a wide variety of home and care settings to enjoy an afternoon of music,

movement, conversation and refreshments. We have witnessed memories being

revisited through music and friendships being rekindled as people from across Ayrshire

come together for companionship, entertainment and community in an energetic and

positive setting. Carers and family members are encouraged to come along and be

part of the experience. For many elderly people, who perhaps have a decreased

ability to communicate, music often plays a key therapeutic role and helps regain their

connection with others. In 2015, we will launch “Gie it Laldy”, our project specifically for

those members of our community living with Dementia.

Fuse

Current activities across Ayrshire include choirs, acting classes, walking groups, dance

and fitness classes, community cafes, art workshops and cookery classes alongside

workshops in health and wellbeing, enterprise and financial management.

FUSE delivers activities in the heart of communities that build aspiration and positivity, raise

levels of health and education, reduce crime, anti-social and violent behaviour and

strengthen and build capacity.

Evolve is led by women for women.

Women experiencing multiple, long-term

barriers in fulfilling their potential, often

living with mental health issues, low

confidence and self esteem are

supported by mentors from within the CS

team, developing their creative and

personal strengths, sharing and learning

from their experiences whilst moving

forward together, supported within the

Centrestage community.

Sing & Smile

Sing and Smile enables children aged from birth to 8 years and their parents/carers

to come together for play, song, storytelling and community based daytime support.

The overarching objective behind this early intervention is to improve the quality of

life for children, particularly those living within disadvantaged families and

communities. This project can also be accessed via Catalyst Families.

Evolve

Catalyst Reconnect, our original project delivered within HMP Kilmarnock since 2010 has

developed into Catalyst, which provides meaningful support to men pre and post

release, providing the individualised and intensive structures required to enable them

to progress, providing every support possible to break the cycle of re-offending.

The Catalyst team deliver employability & enterprise training, lifeskills, housing, health,

financial and welfare support alongside the creative skills learned prior to liberation.

By instilling the belief that they

can make fundamental changes

to their lives, regardless of their

history, we aim to create new

opportunities and empower our

participants to believe that,

through their own actions and

efforts, they can make positive

contributions to their families and

communities and to challenge the

labels that have defined them in

the past.

The Catalyst project in turn has

provided vital understanding that

we have applied in the

development of our Catalyst

Families and Catalyst

Communities models which

launched in 2014 in Kilmarnock

and Ardeer.

We also provide opportunities that allow the wider community to understand the

challenges of being an “outsider”. This is a vital part of our strategy as there is no

reason for our most vulnerable clients to change their negative behaviours if, when

their lives are stabilised and dignified, they are still judged by their past label-

ex-addict; ex- offender...

Catalyst Enterprises

Many of our project participants have trades and skills that they have not applied or

used for many years. Within our projects, they are becoming more involved in a wide

range of community activities, including

Household maintenance- painting, decorating, plastering, joinery

Cleaning

Gardening

Equipment repair

Furniture upcycling

Screenprinting, design & merchandise production.

This final aspect is being expanded to offer

a wide range of bespoke branded

merchandising required by external

companies including Centrestage Music

Theatre CIC and will offer formal training

and employment opportunities to

participants as the Catalyst project

develops.

Show Date Featuring

A Steamie Night In 17th January Ardeer Actors

A Richt Guid Nicht 24th January The Unlikely Lads

Sparkle : Centrestage Ladies Day 22nd February The Unlikely Lads / Connect

Diva Fever 18th April Ardivas

Lean On Me 10th May Ardeer Voices

Whiskey Galore 16th - 17th May The Unlikely Lads

Short-West Showcase 7th June Connect

Joseph & the Amazing

Technicolour Dreamcoat

3rd - 4th August Aspire2Perform Company

Brassed Off 12th - 13th September Fuse

Reach The Top 27th September Reach Out Company

Something Inside So Strong 3rd October Fuse

West Side Story 9th - 11th October The Northwest Performers

The Little Mermaid jr. 17th October Team Ardeer Young Performers

An Unlikely Day Out 22nd November The Unlikely Lads

Let it Snow 6th December Fuse

Once Upon A Panto 12th - 13th December Aspire2Perform Company

The Christmas Selection Box 19th December Fuse

CENTRESTAGE COMMUNITIES LTD For more information on how you can become involved, please email

enquiries@centrestagecommunities.org.uk

CENTRESTAGE COMMUNITIES LTD,

A company registered in Scotland SC382945

A Scottish Charity - SC039611

www.centrestagecommunities.org.uk